PRINT: Rock Climb The 7th Way, Little Cottonwood Canyon

The 7th Way

5.11a/b, Trad, 430 ft (130 m), 5 pitches,

Avg: 3.2 from 67 votes
FA: Tyler Phillips & Luke Douglas 07'/08'
Utah > Wasatch Range > Central Wasatch > Little Cottonwo… > Tanners Gulch > Hidden Heavenly Slab

Access Issue: Gate Buttress Area Recreational Lease: Climbs on Church Buttress above vault remain closed Details

Climbers Partner with LDS Church on Stewardship of Little Cottonwood Canyon Climbing

June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.

The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.

Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault as well as the Glen boulders that have been traditionally closed will remain closed.
Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.

Read More:

saltlakeclimbers.org/climbe…

SLCA and AF recreational leased area on LDS Church land

Description

One of my personal favorites in the canyon.

P1. Start on the far right side beginning up steep roofy terrain. Find a fixed pin, above the pin a large cam gets things started about 15 feet up (easy), from the cam climb up passing 3 bolts to the roof. From here shuffle left and up and over roof using a very cool finger pocket. 5.10+

P2. From chain belay/rap climb up to the left of the small pine growing out of the roof. Once you gain the slab proper climb up nice features passing 2 bolts to a big ledge and common belay/rap w/ 6 Ways From Sunday.5.6
A few all gear variations have been climbed around this pitch all checking in around 5.6/5.7

P3. Use the same start as 6 Ways but after you clip the 2nd bolt climb straight up (instead of traversing on the ramp/crack) placing small TCUs in horizontals. Aim for the black flake, once you get to the flake clip a bolt above it and make some fun moves to the belay. 5.8+
One of the best slab pitches up here

P4. From belay climb out and left into space. # .75 camalot gets things rolling, from there climb up steep features clipping numerous bolts. From the right facing corner climb up and left out of it onto an exposed slab. Make a "footless" traverse left onto the slab. Launch straight up into the shallow left facing corner and persevere to the chains. 5.11

P5. Climb up behind the big bush clipping a bolt and a pin or two. Steep moves with wild exposer are memorable. Short. 5.10+

Location

On the far right side of the Hidden Heavenly Slab is a steep overhang. The 1st pitch starts up this. Rap route.

(see

)

This is also the raps down for 6 ways From Sunday

Protection

(1) #4 camalot (2) #1 Metoilus and a rack to fill the in between. Slings nice. 60M rope

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

1st pitch 7th Way<br>
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Photo: Andrew Burr '08

1st pitch 7th Way Photo: Andrew Burr '08

Rdee

The beautiful 4th pitch. TP on the FFA<br>
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Photo by Mike Tea

The beautiful 4th pitch. TP on the FFA Photo by Mike Tea

Make sure to bring enough draws (10 total bolts on P4) otherwise be ready to improvise.

P1 - 10a out left, 11a out right

Looking up P3. You can see P4 in this as well.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

tenesmus

Pitch 1 is pretty fun with lots of finesse. Pitch 3 is a fun slab. Pitch 4 is the goods, with unexpected rests and features you wouldn't expect to link up as well as they do. From start to finish, this pitch is pretty dang cool. I especially liked the exit moves. For some reason this one reminds me of a more sustained, 5.11 Refugees from Reality.

You might be able to use a #3 camalot on Pitch 5 between the first bolt and the piton to reduce some of the sketch. Don't blow the move to the second bolt or the easy finish mantle. This short pitch felt a lot more serious than the others but the moves were cool. Jul 25, 2009

bsmoot

Pitch 4 is excellent...it's quite improbable, strenuous and thought provoking. Clay, I must have missed some of those unexpected "hidden" rests you were talking about! Aug 22, 2009

Mark Shah

5.10+

Really nice route. On the 5th pitch, there is a good spot for a 0.75 cam between the bolt and the piton. We did not find any need for a #4 camalot. Sep 26, 2011

drewford
Wasatch Back, UT

5.11-

Super fun route. Pitch 4 is a must-do for any granite aficionado. A few observations:
- there are two bolted lines out the roof on P1. The left seemed like the easier option.
- A single rack from .4 cam to a 2 cam would seem adequate. Bring 5 long slings and at least 10 draws.
- The rap from the top of P2 to P1 is longer than a single 60m will allow. I would recommend a single 70m. Jun 30, 2014

Rachel S
Washington

We used a single rack from .3 to #3 camalot, mostly on the 2nd and 3rd pitch. Super fun route, except for the 5th pitch which was a little short and not that fun. Aug 26, 2014

Greg Gavin
SLC, UT

5.11b

Great route! All pitches are exceptional imo with the stand outs being Pitch 3 and 4. I used a fair amount of medium stoppers, and single set from 00 C3 - #1 Camalot. Did not use #2 or #3 ever. Jul 3, 2017

Prametheus
Teton Valley

5.11a

The Granite Guide has P1 as 11a. I went left and it felt like 5.9. Phenomenal climb! Thank you for bolting. Jun 23, 2018

Stan Pitcher
SLC, UT

Granite Guide calls left line East Coast Insecurities 5/10, we thought more like 10a. 7th way first pitch is 10+. Use the anchors on right for 7th to protect second. 3rd pitch has ledge fall potential, start right and find cam placement to protect getting to first bolt. Jul 9, 2018

johnny bedge
Salt Lake City, UT

if you got em, a tricam might be better suited for protecting the start of P4. .75 cam fits perfectly but its shallow with an edge and id be worried about snapping the stem if I were to fall before the bolt. Also never used my #4 Aug 6, 2018

Ben Marolf
Salt Lake City, UT

5.11b

Tanners Gulch is a hidden gem, and this climb is an excellent addition to the area.
@drewford - the left line goes at a 10a - East Coast Insecurities.

P4 is excellent, but be sure to extend your slings - it wanders a bit. A note on gear... If you're comfortable running out slab 20ft, then this whole climb goes on bolts only P1-P4. It may have just been a high gravity day for me, but P4 felt harder than 11-.
It is far more sustained than the 11 a/b P1, with a crux at the end of the pitch. Jun 2, 2020

tenesmus

If you're already up there, you should consider scooting about 30 feet to the right and doing the last pitch of 6-Ways from Sunday, which is similarly graded, different in character and also a Stoke Generator. Jun 14, 2020

Scott Stevenson
SLC, UT

5.11b

Sick route!! So good Jun 20, 2020

Molly Barth
Salt Lake City, UT

If you are comfortable leading 5.8 featured slab, then don't worry about bringing any small gear for the second and third pitch. The bolts provide adequate protection. Definitely watch your rope drag on pitch 4! Jul 18, 2020

Kyle Goupil
Salt Lake City

5.11b

The last pitch on this thing is 5/5 stars. One of the best I've done in LCC. Sep 9, 2020

Max Ryan
Salt lake

Ripped a fat hold off the crux. The edge left is smaller but doesn’t really make the move any harder. Super fun pitch. Sep 26, 2020

Thefryman Fryland
Chicago, IL

What an amazing route. That 4th pitch is one of the best I’ve ever climbed. Aug 28, 2021

Josh Janes

Every pitch is really fun but the crux fourth pitch is a standout. Be prepared: the crux involves dealing with a bolt placement (the second-to-last bolt) that causes the rope and draw to interfere with your legs while doing the move. It also makes for a tripping hazard were you to fall, and adds significant rope drag. I found myself aggravated that this bolt weren’t about three feet to the right where it would have disappeared into the background and allowed full attention on (and enjoyment of) the otherwise fantastic final sequence. Sep 15, 2023